RISE Tayo

In this inspiring episode of RISE Tayo, Coach Blanche interviews a dear friend whose life story is a beautiful blend of romance, resilience, and retirement by the sea. From meeting her US Airforce husband in Hawaii to navigating the unique challenges of military marriage as a Filipino-American woman, this episode explores what it truly means to love faithfully through distance, duty, and decades of change. Together, we talk about long deployments, cultural adjustments, holding onto faith duri...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains personal experiences with infertility and may be emotionally sensitive for some listeners. Please listen with care. In this heartfelt and hope-filled episode, Coach Blanche sits down with her sister Icka Gaa to share an intimate conversation about the journey through infertility, faith, and surrender. Her sister opens up about the deep pain of infertility, including a recent medical procedure that did not succeed—yet her heart remains anchored in hope an...

If you’ve ever whispered to yourself, “Everyone needs me… but no one really sees me,” this episode is for you. In this heartfelt episode, Coach Blanche opens up about the silent identity loss many women face in their 40s — especially after years of serving as mothers, nurses, wives, and caregivers. She vulnerably shares her own journey of pouring everything into her career and raising three energetic boys, only to reach a point where she didn’t recognize herself anymore. You’ll hear: The midl...

In this empowering episode of RISE Tayo, Coach Blanche sits down with Marj Bautista, a proud Filipina who transformed her life from a nurse and teacher in the Philippines to a thriving financial advisor and nurse entrepreneur in Canada. Her story is one of bold decisions, faith-fueled pivots, and a deep passion for helping others rise—not just in health, but in wealth. "Humans are made to help one another". - Marj Bautista. Whether you’re a fellow immigrant, a healthcare worker dr...

Filipinos love food! I truly believe our love language is food! "Kain tayo!'", "Mangaon ta ninyo!", "Let's eat!". This is not just an invitation to eat but an invitation to a relationship. Yesterday, our community: Filipino-American Association of the Lower Cape Fear or also known as Filipino Americans of Southeastern North Carolina (in Facebook - please like and follow) celebrated our Annual Spring Picnic. The Association provided the Letchon (roasted pig), rice and drinks and all memb...

Many of us carry silent wounds—pain from childhood, broken relationships, or seasons of deep struggle that we’ve tucked away for years. In this vulnerable and powerful episode, I share my personal journey growing up in the Philippines, navigating emotional, physical, and verbal wounds, and how the grace of God carried me from survival to healing. You’ll hear the raw truth of what it was like to grow up as the eldest daughter in a home marked by hardship, responsibility, and the absence of emo...

In this deeply personal episode, I open up about the early years of my interracial marriage—navigating culture shock, unmet expectations, and the silent struggles many immigrant wives face. From discovering dishwashers to dealing with loneliness, I share the raw truth of adjusting to a new life in the U.S. and how God’s grace met me in my pain. Whether you’re in a cross-cultural relationship or adjusting to life in a new land, may this episode remind you: you are not alone, and your story mat...

In this very first episode of RISE Tayo: Stories of Filipino Resilience and Calling, I take you back to the moment I left the Philippines—clutching my passport, boarding a plane, and stepping into the unknown. I share the raw emotions of saying goodbye, the heartbreak that led to surrender, and how God’s faithfulness carried me from a painful breakup to a redemptive new beginning. Join me as I recount my journey from Dumaguete City to the United States, the moment I gave my life to Christ, an...